The puppies.
It's a nice day and Pepper has gone to the hospital to check on some pain in her stomach area. When she arrives the doctor brings her into a room and ask her some questions. "When did this pain begin?" The doctor asks. "Uhm about five or six weeks ago, and it hurts only periodically." Pepper responds. "Does it feel like anything specific when it hurts?" The doctor asks. "It's usually a quick sharp pain and then stops." Pepper responds. "I think I know what's happening but just to make sure I'll bring the ultrasound in to see if it is what I think it is." The doctor says before leaving the room and coming back in a few minutes later with the ultrasound. He begins looking at the ultrasound screen before saying. "Yes. It's exactly what I thought." The doctor turns towards Pepper. "Pepper. You will be having puppies. Congratulations." The doctor adds. "P-P-Pup-Puppies? A-Are you sure?" Pepper asks surprised. "Yes. You will be a mother to two puppies." The doctor responds. Pepper smiles lightly as she glances at the ultrasound. "thanks for the help doc" she said, before getting up from the table and heading outside. She makes her way to her vehicle and hops in, heading back to the lookout. "how am i supposed to tell Marshall about this? he'll freak out" she says worriedly. she then smiles as she gets an idea. "i'll go talk to Skye first, she can help me out" she says, as she reaches the lookout. she hops out and starts to search for Skye. After a couple minutes of searching she finds Chase. "Uhm Chase? Do you know where Skye is?" Pepper asks. "She went down to the park she'll be back in a minute." Chase says. "Thank you." Pepper says just before Skye returns. Pepper walks over to Skye. "Skye. I need your help." Pepper whispers to her. "Sure what do you need?" Skye whispers back. "Uhm. I-I'm uh I'm p-pregnant. And I need help figuring out how to tell Marshall. I'm afraid he's going to freak out if I tell him." Pepper whispers. "Pepper. I don't think he'll freak out. If anything I think he'll be overwhelmed with joy. Just go for it. Just let him know and things will work out. Trust me. My uh my sister had the same thing happen and she told her boyfriend and he was overwhelmed with joy. Go for it." Skye says and hugs her. "O-Ok. I trust you." Pepper says before heading off to find Marshall. She searches the lookout for Marshall, and finds him out back playing with Zuma and Rocky. "hey um Marshall, can i talk with you for a minute?" she asks. "sure Pepper" Marshall replies, as he follows her away from the others. they sit down together, and Pepper takes a deep breath. "so what did you want to talk about?" Marshall asks. "um w-well..." Pepper says worriedly. "come on, you can tell me anything" Marshall replies. Pepper takes another breath and nods. "I-I'm pregnant..... with two puppies..." she says after a moments pause. Marshall's eyes widen before he slowly begins to smile. "So uhm I uh I'm going to uh be a dad?" He says smiling. Pepper looks at him and smiles before responding. "Yes Marshall. You're going to be a dad." "I uh I was worried that you'd freak out when I told you... so uh that's why I was rather nervous about telling you." Pepper adds. "I wouldn't freak out about that. To be honest I'm kinda overjoyed." Marshall says and kisses her. Pepper and Marshall smile at each other for a few minutes before Marshall asks. "Do uh do you know when you're due?" "No I uh I forgot to ask the doctor when I was due but uh Elizabeth should know if she looks. Maybe we should uh tell Elizabeth about it?" Pepper responds. Marshall nods, and they go over to Elizabeth's area. "hey Elizabeth, can you uh, give us a paw with something?" Marshall asks. "sure, what do you two need?" Elizabeth asks. Pepper steps forward and says to her. "i'm, pregnant with Marshall's pups, and i want to know when i'm due, but please can you keep it a secret, so far only you and Skye know" Elizabeth smiles happily and hugs Pepper. "of course i'll keep it a secret, now hop up here and i'll let you know when you're due" she replies. Pepper jumps up onto the table and lays on her back, while Elizabeth gets her own ultrasound out and starts it up. "Ok so in about... one week. One week until due date." Elizabeth says. Pepper nods before responding. "Thank you Elizabeth. I uh I had gotten so happy that uh I forgot to ask the doctor while I was there." "Don't mention it. And your secret is safe with me until you guys are ready to announce it." Elizabeth says and helps Pepper off of the table. "A week should be enough time for us to figure out a way to tell the other pups and Ryder." Pepper says. Marshall smiles and nods. "Congratulations you two by the way." Elizabeth says. "Th-Thank you." Pepper says. Marshall walks beside her and nuzzles her, as they head to the main room of the lookout. Pepper walks over to the bean bag chair and lays down, smiling and nuzzling Marshall back. "so, how do you want to tell them?" Marshall asks her. "i'm not exactly sure, it will be so exciting, but i'm still a little uneasy about it" Pepper replies. "I can understand why. It can be a little nerve racking to announce something like that." Marshall says. "I'm kinda nervous about telling them myself." Marshall adds. Pepper kisses him and says. "I'm proud to be your pups mother though." "I'm proud that you are as well. They couldn't have a better mother." Marshall responds. After about twenty minutes of thinking Pepper turns to Marshall and says. "You know. I think we should go about telling them in much the same way we told them about our love for each other... minus the part of you being hurt." Pepper says. "Yeah we can do that." Marshall says. "Do uh do you want me to go get the others and Ryder?" Marshall adds. "Yes. Go ahead please." Pepper responds. Marshall nods and gives her another kiss, before heading off to round up the pups and Ryder. Pepper clutches her stomach as a pain passes by, then quickly goes away. A while later, Marshall comes back with all the pups and Ryder. "hey Pepper, Marshall said you had something to tell everyone" Ryder says. Pepper nodded as Marshall sat down beside her. "I uh I'm *gulp* p-pregnant." Pepper says nervously. The other pups smile and Ryder smiles and says. "Congratulations Pepper. How many are you expecting?" "Two. Two puppies." Pepper responds before clutching her stomach as another pain goes through it. "When are you due?" Chase asks. "About a week." Pepper responds as Marshall walks over and kisses her. "I started having pain in my stomach about five or six weeks ago but didn't really think much of it at the time but over the weeks as they got more and more severe I started wondering what it was so I went to the hospital to get checked out and the doctor told me I was pregnant with the two puppies." Pepper says. The other pups congratulate her, happily cheering for her. "are you hoping for boys or girls?" Rocky asks. Pepper turns to Marshall, and they both smile. "i don't really mind which gender they are, i'll love them no matter what" Pepper replies happily. "I'm just proud to be a mother. I don't care what gender they are. They're my pups... well and Marshall's, and I'll love them no matter what." Pepper adds and smiles happily. "What gender do you think they might be?" Zuma asks. "I'm going to say maybe a boy and a girl but I don't know." Pepper responds. "How tall do you think they'll get?" Rubble asks. "Probably taller than me due to them being direct descendents of a Dalmatian and Schnauzer. I'm a second generation descendent of a Schnauzer and Dalmatian." Pepper responds. "As for an exact height... I don't know, probably slightly shorter than Marshall." Pepper adds. Ryder steps up and rubs Pepper's head. "we'll let you stay here for now, and not send you on any missions, until your ready to go out again" he tells her. "thanks Ryder, I wouldn't even be able to go very fast, with the puppies weighing me down" she replies, causing the others to laugh. After about twenty minutes of talking the sun begins to set and the pups except for Pepper and Marshall head to their puphouses. Pepper lays down on some blankets and a pillow and Marshall lays down beside her and both fall asleep shortly after. The next morning Pepper is the first to wake up due to pain shooting through her stomach. Marshall wakes up a few minutes later to notice Pepper holding her stomach. "Are you ok Pepper?" Marshall asks. "N-No. I think the puppies are ready to... come. I should get to the hospital." Pepper responds in severe pain. Marshall rushes her to the hospital where she's put in the delivery room. Marshall calls Ryder over his puptag and tells him that Peppers puppies are coming early. "Alright Marshall, thanks for the heads up" Ryder replies. "Elizabeth, come along with me, we're going to the hospital" he says to Elizabeth. she nods and they both head to their vehicles, before racing off to the hospital. When they arrive, they wait outside of the room, while the doctors help Pepper. Marshall stands beside her, keeping her clam. Finally after about fifteen minutes Elizabeth and Ryder are allowed into the room where Pepper has her puppies right on her chest. "Hey Pepper I see they've been delivered." Ryder says. "Yeah. And just like I thought they might be, ones a boy and the other is a girl." Pepper responds happily. "Mind if I hand the puppies to Marshall so he can see them?" Ryder asks. "Sure go ahead." Pepper responds smiling happily. Ryder gently picks them up and hands them to Marshall who smiles and nuzzles them as lightly as possible. "Do you guys know what you're going to name them?" Elizabeth asks. "I want to name the girl Darcie. I'm not sure for the boy." Pepper responds. "Pepper how about we name the boy Dillon?" Marshall says. "Dillon... I like that name." Pepper responds happily. "Is Dillon and Darcie the names you've chosen you two?" The doctor asks. Pepper looks at Marshall and he nods. "Yes. It is." Pepper responds. The doctor nods and writes down the names. Marshall has tears in his eyes as he holds them closely. "hi Dillon, hi Darcie" he says. the puppies whimper and sniff a little, their eyes still closed. Marshall carries them over to Pepper and sets them down gently beside Pepper's belly. "they're beautiful" Elizabeth says. Pepper smiles at Marshall and says. "We're parents now Marshall. This is probably going to be the proudest day of my life." "Mine too Pepper, mine too." Marshall responds and walks closer to Pepper and kisses her. Pepper kisses him back and looks back down at their puppies and smiles. "Aren't they adorable Marshall?" Pepper says and places her paw gently on their tiny heads. "They sure are Pepper." Marshall says and begins slightly crying happily. "I love our little puppies." Marshall adds. "Me too Marshall." Pepper responds happily. The doctor turns to Marshall and Pepper. "well, you have two healthy puppies, and they look lovely. you can head back home whenever you're ready" he says, rubbing both their heads. Marshall nods and helps Pepper get up, and they both carry the pups out to Marshall's ambulance. he helps Pepper get into the back, and they all head back to the lookout. When they arrive, they're greeted by all the other pups, who smile happily. "congratulations, they look so adorable" Chase says. "Thank you Chase. I wasn't expecting them to come so early but the doctor said they're healthy so that's a plus." Pepper says happily. "What did you guys name them?" Lucky asks. "This little one is Darcie." Pepper says and puts her gently on the ground. "And this one is Dillon." Marshall says and puts him gently on the ground. Skye smiles and says. "They're so adorable and so tiny." "Yeah. Puppies when born are very tiny." Pepper responds and nuzzles the puppies as lightly as possible. As the other pups stare at the puppies, their eyes slowly open, causing the others to 'awwww' lightly. Darcie starts to wander around near Pepper, and Dillon sits down and looks around the lookout. Marshall smiles and nuzzles Dillon, moving him closer to Pepper. Dillon looks up at Marshall and nuzzles into his dad. Pepper smiles and nuzzles Dillon as well. Dillon looks over at Pepper and nuzzles his mom as well. Marshall smiles. All of the sudden Darcie walks over towards Chase and Skye and smiles at them. "Awww Chase, Skye. I think Darcie likes you two." Pepper says happily. "I think so too." Chase says and looks down at her and smiles. Darcie walks towards Chase and snuggles up against his side and then does the same to Skye before walking back towards Pepper. Darcie falls down once while walking back. Skye giggles and walks over to Darcie, giving her a little push to help her stand back up. Darcie lets out a little squeal as she slides back over to Pepper. After a while of playing with the new pups, the others head off to do their own things, and let Pepper and Marshall relax together with their pups. "they're going to grow up big and strong, just like their mother" Marshall says, nuzzling against Pepper as the pups snuggle against her side. Dillon looks over at Marshall and walks over to him and snuggles into his side. Marshall smiles and gently puts his paw over top of Dillon. Dillion smiles and makes a tiny bark before attempting to speak. All that comes out of Dillon's mouth is tiny little babbling noises. Finally after ten minutes he finally says two words. "Mama, Papa." Pepper smiles and says. "Dillon just said his first words Marshall." Marshall smiles before responding. "I know. I'm so proud of him. And I'm proud to be a parent." "I'm proud of him too. And I'm also proud to be a parent." Pepper says and kisses Marshall. Darcie lets out a cute little yawn as her eyes close slowly, and her body slumps against Pepper's side. "guess she's too tired to say anything yet" Pepper says with a giggle, as she lays a paw down on Darcie. "goodnight my little ones" she says, before she too drifts off to sleep. After a few more minutes Dillon lets out a tiny yawn as well and his eyes close as he slumps against Marshall and falls asleep. Marshall smiles and lays his head down and falls asleep a minute later as well. After a few more minutes the sun begins to set and the rest of the pups head to their puphouses and fall asleep shortly after. THE END.